Hey guys, just wondered who your 3 picks for promotion this year are? I cannot see past S'Hampton, West Ham & Reading Interested to see your picks
I do think Saints and WH will hold onto the top 2. Reading have been brilliant to win 8 in a row but I do think they're due a bit of leveling off in form/bit of bad luck. Whichever of those 3 go into the playoffs will probably been seen as favourites but anything can happen, I'm no where near ready to write us off yet.
With the right signings this summer we can easily get in the autos next season. The teams coming down are going to be no threat. The sooner we get to the PL and show the rest of that league that not all Welsh are Max Boyce fans the better though.
reading to take the title in my view with west ham runner up. the playoffs is a lottery with a number of teams in with a chance, the saints would be my pick of the rest......cardiff are not ready yet as we can all see and need a couple of seasons of building yet before they are anywhere near worthy of a premiership place. a nice bit of luck with two own goals on saturday against a poor worzel side but no sign of anything that suggest they are good enough yet....
Says the PL expert after watching one of our matches, fair play on this year but second season failure is very common for promoted sides with a very limited budget. Thankfully it's not down to Jack opinion on whether we're 'worthy' of a place anyway and if we get in the playoffs we'll have as much chance as the other 3 sides.
From the current Top 6 Southampton: should get at least one of the autos. They're not a great side (imo) but they're pretty consistent and getting results so credit where its due. West Ham: Sam will feel its their divine right to go up so I'm hoping they implode just to see him blaming everybody else but, unfortunately, I can't see that happening. Reading: have hit form again at the right time but possibly a bit too soon?... time will tell. Boro: Anyone see the Leeds game? How are they still up there? Brighton: Started well, dipped, picked up again but can they maintain it?... I don't think so. Gus hasn't helped the cause today either imo Cardiff: Would love to see it happen (obviously) but I don't think this squad is ready. We need another summer of Malky Magic. So, my 3 to go up, Saints, WHU and Brum to make a late burst and take the Play Offs. Having said all that though, with 11 games to go anything can happen
I wish Cardiff all the best, but agree with other posters saying they are not ready yet and need a few seasons rebuilding.
stevo im only going on form and recent results. you cant tell me that cardiff have been good recently because its there for all to see, im not having a go but MM needs more time to build a great championship side like saints,west ham reading and a few others who are better at the moment, the last thing you want to do is go up too soon when you are nowhere near ready. a couple of seasons where MM can build a strong side and a strong bench will be better, its easy winning games at the begining its winning games when everyone ups their game in the run in when it matters and its so plain to see that cardiff are 3 or 4 players short at this time. I hope you get lucky but cant see it with stronger and more skillful sides pushing for a playoff place, the autos are gone with 3 teams fighting for two places and to me reading have come good at the right time and are a very strong side, west ham are classy and so are the saints, cardiff beat them all i think but these 3 teams know how to win games when it matters. its going to be tight for the playoff places with some coming from the chasing pack.....its going to be very interesting to see what happens.....
Southampton & Reading for auto , no bout a doubt it . I'll reserve judgement for 10 or so days on a playoff winner but leaning toward West Ham .
good evening Dai, good to see you back. Sadly I mainly agree with what you have said. Must be very nice to be in the position you are with Premier league football all but guaranteed for next season, got to hand it to BR he's certainly one to keep happy.
dai, you say 'i'm only going on recent form' but surely you should judge a team based on its form throughout the season? in terms of being ready for PL football, blackpool expected to battle relegation when instead they got promoted. even though they were relegated they are a much stronger club, i'd rather do a blackpool than stay in this league to 'be ready' for the step up. 'its easy winning games at the begining'. what utter rubbish. if its easy for some teams it must therefore be hard for other teams.... every team has a poor patch at some point, just because we're in ours doesnt mean the wheels have come off, we lost hardly any games until this poor patch. i believe we will make the play offs. p/s welcome back
I don't think anyone in their right mind would tell you that we have been good recently, simply because nobody in their right mind would tell you that we've been good (for more than 20 minutes) in any one game this season.
swamp ....there are very few teams good enough to stay top all season, west ham, saints are big clubs, reading is another that knows what it takes to win at the right time, i honestly cant see beyond these three sides doing the buisiness, cardiff have supprised a lot of people this season with a new manager and new players and im sure the majority of fans are very happy at the prgress so far, none more so than MM himself, I would love to see cardiff put in a strong finish for my best friends sake but even he says cardiff are a few players short this season. It will be hard to catch the autos now but the playoffs is well in with a chance, this last quarter of the season is where teams start to come out of the chasing pack and with a bit of good fortune cardiff can stay where they are and at least have a chance in the playoffs.....now is the time to dig deep and should you not make it then it will have been a great season anyway concidering.......MM has done a great job and he will build o that for sure.....
"The teams coming down are going to be no threat." Some of them will to an average Championship side. And that's what you are right now. If you strengthen substantially, (not just a few 'right signings'!) then you'll have a shout, but you've tried that before. Last season ring a bell? Of the possibles, Wigan, Bolton, QPR and Wolves are all better than Cardiff as things stand. Hilts, for a team that's done **** all you're very sure of yourself. I think most level headed Cardiff fans recognise it's going to be a long haul. And I don't like Max Boyce.
KJ, you're working on the assumption that all those teams you mentioned will keep their best players. i can tell you now that QPR, wigan and bolton are all screwed financially if they are relegated. QPR particularly will either have high earners that their income cant sustain, and risk being a portsmouth, or more likely, players like cisse, taiwo, taarabt will all jump ship. bolton and wigan do not live within their means and will need to sell players or build up a massive debt. the only club living within its means from the one you mentioned is wolves. they have players who are too good for the championship but not necessarily ones that PL teams will be desperate to sign (ebanks blake, stearman, johnson, fletcher etc). they would be a team i would back to bounce back if they were to be relegated. just because we're in a run of poor form does not mean i will get carried away and think the wheels have come off our season, just like i didnt get carried away earlier in the season when we were 4th for so long
Aussie. The team from Wales thats come closest to winning something. Hardly **** all. It took a top 6 PL team a penalty shoot out to beat us. Blackburn brushed aside. I dont think QPR will go down - they would be a threat. The others ive seen. None would challenge at the top of the Championship and they will lose players. I think your worried. We aint far off at all. Pace out wide will do. We could still do it this season thanks to the play off system. We are not one of the 3 best teams but if we go up who cares. Glad you aint a Boycette. Is that why you emigrated.? Bit drastic.!
Look at our remaining fixtures before writing us off. 4 out of the next 5 at home, only hull in the top half out of those. Only Leeds and hull are top half out of our remaining 7 home games. We've got the players to have a real crack at the playoffs, who knows who'll get the bit of luck every playoff team needs. As swamp says its much better to get up and come straight back than stay in the championship building. Parachute payments and all that.
